IFES When greater coordination is present, conflict risks can be identified earlier and better managed, or avoided altogether. Conflict analysis can be integrated into risk assessments throughout the electoral cycle, with great benefit to security planning and stakeholder decision-making. In Lebanon, a methodology was designed by IFES and local partners to explicitly support capacity for risk assessment in the lead-up to the 2009 elections and maintained throughout the process. The Lebanon Election Violence Risk Assessment (LEVRA) project was designed in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities to be an integrated part of the ministry’s risk assessment tools.7 The project drew upon expert assessments of three types of violence: political, confessional and electoral. Each constituency was given a risk rating of high, medium or low for each type of violence. Data was continually collected to update the rating (Figure 5). The ministry used the information as it worked with the Lebanese Armed Forces to draft an election security plan. Once accepted by all, the ministry and the Armed Forces, along with the EMB, established a security operations room as the plan was implemented. Throughout the election period, risk levels were updated and the results were used for ongoing security arrangements and responses. The results were also shared with a key group of stakeholders including political parties and local organizations throughout the election period. LEVRA data was essential in identifying key hotspots for appropriate deployment of security personnel and ensuring additional sensitivity for the management of campaign events, the conduct of polling and increased risks during the results period. Overall, this approach increased the quality of information gathered and the amount of cooperation and information sharing between election officials, security agencies and local government. There was also a distinct decrease in the number of violent incidents recorded by the LEVRA project following the adoption of the security plan. Though this model involved constituency-level analysis, it could be easily modified according to resources and needs by scaling up the geographic level of analysis, simplifying the map and graphics and/or leveraging the resources of local actors who are already gathering information. At a minimum, indicators could be developed and shared among local actors, such as security agencies and election officials, to provide a standard information-gathering process. In general, tips for better analysis across the stages of the electoral cycle include:      Between elections, actors should come to a consensus and agree on the coordination of assessments and analysis. This way cross-sector cooperation will already be in place and the plan of action is clear as the pre-election period approaches. Legal framework analysis between elections can better incorporate conflict sensitivity. Justice sector officials, local organizations and others must analyze the legal and regulatory framework for potential friction points that could create or aggravate conflict. Greater emphasis on country context and analysis of conflict dynamics between elections can yield more informed election-related planning and assessments. Conflict analysis tools can be used to understand past conflict dynamics and to assess risk in upcoming electoral process. Identify appropriate technologies and tools for gathering, visualization and sharing of information more effectively. In any phase of the election cycle risk assessment methodologies and conflict mapping software can be used to map, track and analyze data on structural tensions, social divides and friction points throughout the country. Public opinion and knowledge can also be analyzed as part of conflict analysis. Through various outreach and activities, such as public meetings and conflict mapping exercises, in the between-election and pre- 7 IFES, “Background on the Lebanon Election Violence Risk Assessment Project,” 2010, http://www.ifes.org/Content/Publications/Papers/2010/Background-on-the-Lebanon-Election-Violence-Risk-Assessment-Project.aspx, accessed on April 12, 2012. 7